Sylvania



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W. R. JOHNS. THREAD FEEDINGMEGHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES No. 600,788. Patented Mar. 15,1898.

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W. R. JOHNS.

THREAD FEEDING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MAOHINES. No. 600,788 Patented Mar. 15,1898.

.16 I I 34/ a p barren WILL R. J OI-INS, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE EXCELSIOR AUTOMATIC KNITTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NORRISTOWN, PENN- SYLVANI A.

THREAD-FEEDING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,788, dated March 1 5, 1898. Application filed September 1, 1892, Serial No. 444,839. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILL R. JOHNS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Thread-Feeding Mechanism for Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a f ull,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention pertains to devices of novel construction for automatically combining with the usual or main thread of a knittingmachine, at predetermined intervals during the process of knitting, an additional or supplemental thread, whereby certain portions of the fabricas, for example, the heel, toe, or knee part of a stocking -may be thickened or reinforced to increase the durability thereof. 1

The invention comprises means whereby the supplemental thread is led to and connected with the main thread; means whereby the supplemental thread is freed and permitted to be carried to the needles by and with the main thread; means whereby said additional thread is severed at a prescribed period, and means whereby its free or leading end is retained in proper position for a succeeding operation, all as will be hereinafter described in detail and be duly claimed.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the invention as applied to a circular-knitting machine. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, the thread being inthe grasp of the clamping device preparatory to the winding operation. Fig. 3 is a similar elevation, the thread being freed. Fig. 4 is a detail of a pattern mechanism for controlling the operation of the yarn-guide devices. Fig. 5 is a separate View of the trip device for opening the clamp.

The numeral 1 represents the needle-support of the machine; 2, its needles; 3, the cam-carrier; 4, the knitting-cams therein, and 5 jacks operatively connecting the needles with the knitting-cams. The reciprocative action of the needles to effect the knitting of the web is the same as usual. So far as the details of construction of the cams and their connection with the needles are concerned these have no bearing upon the present invention. For illustration of these parts I have represented a portion of the machine set out in an application for Letters Patent filed by me September 1, 1892, Serial No. 444,841.

Secured to the supporting-base 6 is a post or standard 7, the lower end of which is flanged to support the bobbins 8 and 9, and the upper end of which is provided with an inwardly-extending arm 10. To this arm is connected the usual spring-actuated take-up lever '11, through the hooked forward portion of which the main knitting-thread 8 extends on its passage to the thread-carrier 12. On this arm is fixed an angular bracket-piece 13, the vertical member of which is provided on its forward face with a circular boss or projection 14, which is centrally perforated for the passage of the main knitting-thread. This boss or projection is provided at a point above the central perforation with another perforation 15 for the passage of the supplemental or reinforcing thread 9 hereinafter described. Mounted on said boss or projection is a skeleton pinion 16, the teeth of which engage with those of a spur-wheel 17 on a suitably-disposed stud on the post 7 whereby when this wheel is rotated the pinion will be operated. This pinion is equipped with a circular flange or ring 18, on the face of which is formed or secured a projection 19, forming an inwardly-curved hook orfinger 20 with an outer radial offset or shoulder 21. The perforation 15 is in rear of the path traversed by the angle or corner of the hook and shoulder when the pinion is rotated. Pivoted on the face of the flange 18, in proximity to the hook 20, isa curved lever 22, the shorter arm 23 of which projects into said angle and is normally pressed therein by a spring 24, which acts against the longer arm of the lever.

Hence if the reinforcing-thread 9 be drawn through the perforation 15 and the pinion be rotated in the direction of the adjacent arrow, Fig. 2, the abutting faces of the leverarm and hook will receive the thread and tightly clamp the same. If, then, the rotation of the pinion be continued, this end of the thread will be twisted around the main thread as the latter is being fed to the needles.

This done, if the end be freed from the grasp of the arm and hook the supplemental thread will be carried to the machine by and with the main thread. It will be observed that the drooping or inward curving of the hook, as I have termed it, and the outward curving of the coacting lever-arm form a flarin g mouth to receive the supplemental thread. Although there is more than one way by which the support for these thread-clamping devices may be operated and controlled, yet I prefer to use for this purpose a mechanism of the character illustrated in the drawings, the same comprising the aforedescribed pinion l6 and spur-wheel 17, in conjunction with a small pinion 25, secured to the back of said spur-wheel concentrically therewith, and a vertically-reciprocating rack 26 in gear with the pinion, together with means for reciprocating said rack at predetermined intervals. It will be obvious that when the rack is reciprocated the coacting pinion and the spurwheel will be rotated, which latter will thereupon by reason of the relative sizes of the gears revolve the pinion 16 and its connections-to wit. the winder-very rapidly, thus effecting a close and tight winding or twistin g of the supplemental thread 11 pon the main thread.

The rack is formed or supported upon a vertical rod 27,which is connected with a suitably disposed horizontal lever 28, to which movement is im parted at certain stages by means of tappets 29 on the face of a pattern-wheel 30. The latter is moved step by step by means of any suitable mechanism; but as such mechanism forms no part of the present invention no detailed description thereof is deemed necessary in this connection. A pattern-wheel of this description, however, and operating devices therefor are set forth in detail in my other application above mentioned. Briefly described, the pattern-wheel is provided with peripheral ratchet-teeth with which coact pawls Ct on a pivoted arm I), which is periodically operated by appropriate mechanism. The positions of the tappets upon the wheel 30 will of course determine the time when the supplemental thread is thrown into and out of action. This thread, however, will most frequently be used during the formation of the heel-pouch of socks and stockings, the thread being thrown in at the commencement of the knitting of the pouch and being checked or thrown out at the completion thereof.

Pivoted to a post 31, rising from the arm 10 adjacent to the pinion 16, is a trip device 32, comprising the depending arm 33, the finger 34,projecting over and above the flange of the pinion, and a lip 35, projecting outwardly therefrom into the vertical path of the rack, whereby the latter in its upward stroke may be caused to strike the lip 35 and thus raise the same and depress the finger 34. The function of the depending arm is a counterpoise to maintain the finger normally raised. Of course a spring could be Very readily substituted for this arm. It will be observed that the shape of the spring-actuated arm of the thread-clamping lever 22 is such that normallythat is,when the supplemental thread is caught therebythe' edge of the arm extends beyond the periphery of the flange 18. Hence when the finger 34: is depressed, as above described, it will bear upon this proj ecting edge as the pinion turns and thus depress said arm to free the thread therefrom, as above mentioned. In the upward movement of the rack, the supplemental thread being in the grasp of the lever 22, the pinion is rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, thereby twisting or winding said thread upon the lower or main thread, as previously stated. The top of the rack-bar as it con-- tinues its upward movement will impinge against the opposed lip of the trip device and effect the freeing of the supplemental thread to the end that it may be carried to the needle by and with the main thread. As a means whereby this supplemental thread may be severed when its service has been performed I affix to the arm 10, immediately in front of the lever 22, a suitable knife or cutter 35, which in this instance comprises an angular piece the upper edge of the vertical member whereof extends to or slightly above the horizontal diameter of the pinion, said edge being slightly inclined downwardly on one side of the center and being beveled to a sharp cnttingedge,as indicated at 3'7. WV hen the rack is depressed, the pinion is rotated in a reverse direction to its former movement, the lever thereon when the finger is raised by the removal of the pressure of the rack-bar thus returning automatically to its normal or biting position against the corner of the hook. When the rack is again partially raised, the supplemental thread is grasped by the lever and hook, and as the pinion is rotated the thread is drawn down upon the sharp edge of the cutter, thereby severing the thread. This done, the parts remain quiescent in readiness for a repetition of the above-described operation ata predetermined period. I would add that when the rack is raised in the first place to effect the twisting of the thread, as above mentioned, such thread is not severed, because its end does not extend over the edge of the knife or cutter.

In certain claims hereinafter there is recited as an element means to hold the thread end previous to winding, which expression, it may be remarked, is designed to include not only thread-holding means secured to or forming a part of the winder, but also means separate from and independent or the winder.

I claim- 1. In a knitting-machine, the combination with a source of plural thread-supply, of a rotary winder for carrying the free end of one thread one or more times about another.

2. In a knitting-machine, the combination with a source of plural thread-supply, of a rotary winder for carrying the free end of one tremity of one thread one or more times about another.

4. In a knitting-machine, the combination with a guide device for a plurality of threads, of a rotary winder for carrying the free end of one thread one or. more times about another, and means for holding said thread end previous to winding.

5. In a knitting-machine, the combination with a guide device for a plurality of threads, of a rotary winder for carrying the free extremity of one thread one or more times about another, means for holdingsaid thread end previous to winding, and means for severing one end of said thread.

6. The combination of a guide device for the main and supplemental threads, a clamping device adapted to grasp the end of the supplemental thread, and means for rotating said clamping device so as to twist or wind the supplemental thread upon the main thread, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the guide device for the main and supplemental threads, a clamping device adapted to grasp the end of the supplemental thread, means for rotating said clamping device so as to wind or twist the supplemental thread upon the main thread, and means for severing the supplemental thread, substantially as described.

-8. The combination of a guide device for the main and supplemental threads, a clamping device adapted to grasp the end of the supplemental thread, means for rotating said clamping device so as to twist or wind the supplemental thread upon the main thread, and means for opening said clamping device to free the end of the supplemental thread, substantially as described.

9. The combination of a guide device for the main and supplemental threads, a clamping device adapted to grasp the end of the supplemental thread, means for rotatingsaid clamping device so as to twist or wind the supplemental thread upon the main thread, means for opening said clamping device to free the end of the supplemental thread, and means for severing the supplemental thread, substantially as described.

10. The combination of a device provided with two thread-guides, a rotatable member adapted to revolve around said guides, means for rotating said member, a clamping device mounted on said rotatable member in the path of one of said guides, and adapted to hold the end of that thread which passes through said latter guide, and means for opening said clamping device to'release the thread therefrom, substantially as described.

11. The combination of a device provided with two thread-guides, a rotatable member adapted to revolve around said guides, means for rotating said member, a clamping device mounted on said rotatable member in the path of one of said guides, and adapted to hold the end of that thread which passes through said latter guide, means for opening said clamping device to release the'thread therefrom, and means for severingsaid thread, substantially as described. v

12. The combination of the guide device, the pinion, the spring-actuated clamping-lever and the opposed hook or finger on said pinion, means for rotating said pinion, and

means for actuating the clamping-lever at predetermined intervals, substantially as described.

13. The combination of the guide device, the pinion, the spring-actuated clamping-lever and the opposed hook or. finger on said pinion, a normally inactive trip device for opening said lever, and means for operating said trip device and pinion at predetermined intervals, substantially as described.

14. The combination of the guide device,

the pinion, the spring-actuated clamping-lever and the opposed hookor finger on said pinion, a .normally inactive trip device for opening said lever, and means for operating said trip device and pinion at predetermined intervals, together with a thread-severing device, substantially as described. I

15. The combination of the guide device,

the pinion, the spring-actuated clamp and the opposed hook or finger on said pinion, a normally inactive trip device for opening said clamp, the spur-wheel for operating said pin ion, the pinion connected with said spurwheel, and the rack engaging said latter pinion, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.-

WILL R. JOHNS.

Witnesses:

WM. F. BALLINGER, JOHN R. NOLAN. 

